Women's health has become a major priority for research at NIH. Branch staff have participated with other NIH scientists in developing clinical trial and community demonstration research agendas for women's health. Extensive literature reviews have been conducted to assess the interaction of oral health with systemic health and to determine how oral health fits within the contexts of these larger research initiatives. For instance, evaluations of the utility of oral biomarkers for systemic diseases and conditions have begun with a focus on their value in large scale epidemiologic studies. Demographic, general health, economic, social, and behavioral trends identified by NIH expert working groups as concerns for the upcoming decade have provided impetus to re-examine women's oral health within this broad context. Encouraged by the enthusiastic response to an IADR session in 1992 which focused on potential issues surrounding women's oral health, Branch staff organized a women's health symposium for the 1993 meeting. One staff member presented an overview of women's oral health status based upon new analyses of NIDR survey data and within the context of biological, behavioral and societal factors which may be important to a more comprehensive understanding of this subject. This presentation has been expanded for publication in a peer reviewed journal along with the other symposium papers.